“Keepers”

What does the biblical calling to be a “keeper” mean?
How is woman a “keeper”?
How is man a “keeper”?
How is God a “keeper”?

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KEEPER OF THE HOME

Titus 2 “keepers at home”

What comes to mind when you think of “keepers at home” in this Titus 2 passage?
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Click Here to see Titus 2:5 in several Bible versions.
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The Greek word translated “homemaker” (NKJV) or “housekeeper” is oikouros. This is a compound word from oikos– house, household, family; and ouros– a guard, be “ware”, guardian, a watcher, a warden. Let this sink in for a moment: the word ” oikouros” translated “keepers at home” <3626> carries the meaning of watchman.

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Does our word “housekeeper” and “homemaker” really capture the impact of the God breathed Greek there? Does “keeper”/ouros– (a guard, be “ware”, guardian, a watcher, a warden) sound like it refers to domestic service?

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Other Occurances of ouros in the New Testament:

DOORKEEPER

John 10:3– of a door-keeper 2377 thuroros thurôros, from 2374 and ouros (a watcher);; n m
When one looks at the Strong’s lexicon definition “a doorkeeper, porter, a male or female janitor” does that role sound important, powerful, or authoritative? Click here to read about the doorkeeper in John 10- several parallel versions. In the context of this passage, what door is the door-keeper guarding? How high of a role/calling is this door-keeper’s job?

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KEEPER OF THE GARDEN

John 20:15– “a keeper of the garden” 2780 kepouros {kay-poo-ros’} from 2779 and ouros (a warden);; n m

Who is being referred to as kepouros/“keeper of the garden” in John 20:15?
Let’s not pass that by quickly. Is any tiny detail of God’s Word trivial? Let’s think about another garden in the beginning of time, the first Adam and the first woman and another instance where God assigns the responsibility of “keeper”. (see also in Mary Magdelene’s Sandals…)

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In Genesis 2:15 we find another “keeper”:

Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

In this case, we are looking at the Old Testament and a Hebrew Word. The Hebrew word in Gen 2:15 (adam’s assignment)= 08104 shamar {shaw-mar’} AV – keep 283, observe 46, heed 35, keeper 28, preserve 21, beware 9, mark 8, watchman 8, wait 7, watch 7, regard 5, save 2,

Can you see similarity in meaning of the Hebrew word “shamar” translated “keeper” and the Greek word “ouros” translated “keeper”?

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The next occurance of the word shamar is here:

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

From what danger do you suppose Adam was supposed to “keep” the garden? (Remember, he was given this assignment before the fall: before thorns, weeds, thistles, decay.) Does “keeper” here sound like it refers to domestic service?

GOD AS ‘KEEPER”

1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Click Here to read 1 Peter 1:5 in several parallel versions.

5432 phroureo- describes God and means the “oureo”(KEEPER) “before; above”

1 Peter 1:5 – kept/guarded/protected phrouros

5432 phroureo {froo-reh’-o} AV – keep
from a compound of 4253 and 3708 horao {hor-ah’-o}

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What does the calling to be a “keeper” mean?
How is woman a “keeper”?
How is man a “keeper”?
How is God a “keeper”?